Allegory of Summer, attributed to Peter Snayers (1592-1667)

Several paintings by Jan Brueghel in collaboration with Joos de Momper II (1564-1635) illustrate the wheat harvest.In some cases, they embody an allegory of summer and form part of a series of four seasons. A very similar variant resulting from their collaboration is in the National Museum of Oslo (inv .NG.M.01359).

This painting displays a nuanced color palette, a sense of depth and a unique approach to the genre. Presumably, one artist was responsible for painting the figures, which are very faithful to Jan Brueghel's example, and another master took care of the landscape. The latter shows a certain pictorial quality and can be traced back to the work of Antwerp artists of the late 16th century.
An attribution to Peter Snayers seems difficult to support given the new knowledge about his work. He is mainly known for his landscapes with battles on horseback or illustrations of military campaigns that fall somewhere between cartography and landscape art, such as the Siege of Breda in the Prado Museum collection (inv. P001748).

Provenance and certificate:
Galerie Florence de Voldère, Paris, 19.04.2007, as a work by Peter Snayers (1592-1667)